How big are south African bass?

[Matthys]

I just want to know how big our bass are?Maybe a pic would help.But im sure they are not as big as in America.

[bass109]

The biggest bass caught in Africa stands at 18 lbs, U.S. still holds the world record but for how long, no one knows. Many other countries are catching up in becoming world records holders. I know Japans record stands at 19 lbs. 8-) Maybe someday there will be world bass tournaments. U.S. vs Japan that would better then bass masters classic.

[granadethrow]

bass109-

not trying to be racist, but, it would be really funny if there was a japan-usa tourny on usa water. lol just imagine it, chop suey bait,   and one partner attacking another cuz he lost a fish  

i'd like to see that, as long as they don't eat my dog

[T-rig]

bass109-

not trying to be racist, but, it would be really funny if there was a japan-usa tourny on usa water. lol just imagine it, chop suey bait, and one partner attacking another cuz he lost a fish

i'd like to see that, as long as they don't eat my dog

I think you're a bit confused!

Chop suey is a chinese dish and not all asians eat dog.

[Johanv]

Some of the South African bass

7.42LB

9LB

3.5LB

3.7LB

3LB

[Fearless]

I think that a lot of people do not understand how bass grow and how the water conditions affect their growth. In sub tropical Africa bass have the potential to reach world record sizes. Dams like Mteri and Lake Kyle in Zim are consistently producing heavy stringers and must rate in the top 10% of bass fisheries worldwide.

At very least our local dams have fish that are on par with some of the lakes in southern USA. Dams like Goedetrou were stocked exclusively with the F1 Florida strain and are producing some very impressive fish at the moment. ;D

[roadwarrior]

Welcome aboard!

8-)

[MaxDal]

I think that a lot of people do not understand how bass grow and how the water conditions affect their growth. In sub tropical Africa bass have the potential to reach world record sizes. Dams like Mteri and Lake Kyle in Zim are consistently producing heavy stringers and must rate in the top 10% of bass fisheries worldwide.

At very least our local dams have fish that are on par with some of the lakes in southern USA. Dams like Goedetrou were stocked exclusively with the F1 Florida strain and are producing some very impressive fish at the moment. ;D

Well everything is balanced on this planet.

I think is not so much how fast they will grow but rather how fast and how long they will grow.

And the warmer the weather, the faster bass grow... that's a fact !

But then again, those bass tend to die earlier.

I still think California will produce the next W. Record (depending on how you see it, it already has).

Still I know from a South-African friend that South Africa has huge bass, that they grow big, fat fast.

But I've yet to see a 20pounder from Africa.

Even Zimbabwe only had a 19 something if I remember well.

And I guess bass populations in Zimbabwe have taken a beating, since old Mugabe is starving the population.

Anyway, beautiful pictures, awesome fish and welcome on Bass Resource.  

[Fearless]

I think that a lot of people do not understand how bass grow and how the water conditions affect their growth. In sub tropical Africa bass have the potential to reach world record sizes. Dams like Mteri and Lake Kyle in Zim are consistently producing heavy stringers and must rate in the top 10% of bass fisheries worldwide.

At very least our local dams have fish that are on par with some of the lakes in southern USA. Dams like Goedetrou were stocked exclusively with the F1 Florida strain and are producing some very impressive fish at the moment. ;D

Well everything is balanced on this planet.

I think is not so much how fast they will grow but rather how fast and how long they will grow.

And the warmer the weather, the faster bass grow... that's a fact !

But then again, those bass tend to die earlier.

I still think California will produce the next W. Record (depending on how you see it, it already has).

Still I know from a South-African friend that South Africa has huge bass, that they grow big, fat fast.

But I've yet to see a 20pounder from Africa.

Even Zimbabwe only had a 19 something if I remember well.

And I guess bass populations in Zimbabwe have taken a beating, since old Mugabe is starving the population.

Anyway, beautiful pictures, awesome fish and welcome on Bass Resource.  

The problem in Africa is not the heat or the idiotic politicians, but the sheer size of it. there are hundreds of thousands of of square kilometers where no bass fisherman has gone in many years. I am positive that there are fish well in excess of 22 pound swimming somewhere in Zim or Mozambique !

[tinus100]

The more North you go the hotter it gets as you move closer to the equator. Massive Tigerfish and huge catfish that lurk in the water. In South Africa you can find tigerfish only in the Pongolapoort Dam aka Jozini Lake. However the more north you go outside the borders of SA the weirder the and the bigger the fish seem to get. I know Tigerfish and Bass arent exactly alike, but both of them are predatory fish. Both love oxygen rich warm water.

With al the instable politics of the african nations and all the corruption and horrible take overs that happend in Zimbabwe, I think the waters was left alone for some time leaving the bass to grow even bigger than was before. People dont like to visit the hostile countries because frankly, its a bit of a headache bribing the border patrol to let you in and if something goes wrong you dont have much of a backup.

Because the border countries north of South Africa, like Zim, Namibia, Botswane and maybe even Mosambique is fished much less than SA and the climate is much hotter and with more natural forage in the lakes, There must be absolute LUNKERS in there. Imagine a team of guys going out and targeting monster bass in africa for 100days, like they did in the US before. Im pretty sure Africa has great chances to hold the current world record bass.

If a tiger fish can grow to over 100lb in Central africa, wich normally grows to only about 30lb the more south you go, then surely chances are great that Bass can evolve to become bigger to adapt to the new habbitat. Not sure how long that takes, but one fact remains, they say everything is bigger in texas....come see what happens in Africa.

Any one up for funding such a trip? With complete army for protection, an entire medical team and a energy station providing Fuel and electricity because these countries lack infrastructure to offer these things?

[Otay Michael]

Here is a nice one I got in Stellenbosch

Had some spectacular smallmough bass fishing too.

[Ebrahim Ali]

hi

i think the south african record is 5.25 caught at Inanda,im not sure about that,someone please verify that for me.

South africa and africa as a whole does have potential to produce world class bass and yes there are untouched waters to be fished and who knows what we'll find there,BUT we need to manage our venues and enforce catch and release if we even want to hope to catch lunkers regularly.

Case in point the many small dams in the Guateng area.from personal fishing experience these dams hold big fish,there's enough food for them and the climate is condusive for them to reach lunker proportions.However the locals will happily catch and eat all sizes of fish from 100 gram dinks to 3 kg monsters.today in fact at a local dam i saw a group of 6 guys catch a garbage bag full of fish and takin it home.What on earth are you gonna with that much fish.

We need for all our waters to be manged properly,profesionaly and for scum like these illegal fishermen to be brought under control.

[loodkop]

The official SA record is 6,29kg caught in Nov 2004 in Midmar dam, Kwazulu Natal. There has been reports of bigger bass caught but not certified. (In SA you have to belong to a registered club to claim official records. I know of a 7.2 kg caught in 2007. The Zimbabwe record is 8.3 kg. I'm not sure about the Mozambican record but lake Chicamba is also developing a reputation as a Big bass venue.

[North Ga Hillbilly]

I've always liked the body shape of the African bass I've seen. Very diff from the trout fed hogs that California pumps out

NGaHB

[Ebrahim Ali]

howzit fat rap

Very nice fish you got there.do you know where it was caught

[Fat__Rap]

They are not releasing the location of the fish just yet, but it was caught in one of the dams on the West Rand apparently.

How's the fishing at Emmerentia these days Minnow??

[Ebrahim Ali]

yeah i just read the whole story on www.bassing.co.za

Its now the official new SA reccord.wow 6.43kg(14.17 lb) well done to the angler and good job releasing it and not taking it to a taxidermist like some idiots do.

Emmies is fishing well considering the crap treatment that dam gets.not much happening from the bank but as soon as you get on a boat it becomes like murray park.

[Fat__Rap]

Yeah, it's always good to see a fish released, especially a big ol bass. I've been meaning to get to Emmies actually. You're allowed tubes hey?

[Ebrahim Ali]

ja you can tube their but you cant launch from the canoe club,you have to launch from the jetty on the opposite end.its a bit dicy however as its a straight 2m drop.dont fish on sudays as the canoe club has a race in the morning

[emjaysmit]

Maybe not world Records yet but at the rate of growth I would expect Letsibogo to produce the yet again the next intercontinental African record that would easily rival the world record, during the dam low it's already producing a bigger average size bite than El Salto although no motorized craft are allowed. Another factor one needs to consider is the sheer size of the waters in the US in comparison to that of SA. Also Bass is native to America and have had ample time to produce some awesome gene pools. It might be a while still but the potensial is still there as bass are relatively new to SA in world terms.<br /><br />Given the right body of water, the right gene pool and the right climate together with the right forrage we wil definately be able to be a contender. Komatipoort has farm ponds that are already producing 40+lb 5 fish bags that rivals even big American lakes such as Falcon and Okeechobee. Biwa in Japan are producing but I do believe due to commercial fishing and being able to buy Bass on the local Japanese market it definately puts strain on the fishery, it may be a good thing to cull out undersize fish, big fish are few and far between and from what I have heard is that Biwa has some of the most difficult fishing out there.<br /><br />Maybe we too should start stocking Koi as forrage lol...<br /><br />Whatch the South African news.

[hackattack]

I live in zimbabwe and i have seen a guy with a 18 1/2 lb bass. I heard that a 22lb was found dead at chicamba (mozambique)

[A-Jay]

I live in zimbabwe and i have seen a guy with a 18 1/2 lb bass. I heard that a 22lb was found dead at chicamba (mozambique)

 

 

Hello to you over in Zimbabwe and Welcome to BR ~

 

A-Jay

[bmbfishing]

Hello all,

I have not seen any bass for sale since I have been in Japan LOL. Lake Kawakuchi is producing big bass and most of the Fuji lakes all produce huge bass. The problem with Biwako is that it is so big and extremly deep, very hard to pinpoint anything. I think Japan will produce the next world record bass again very soon. Would love to hit up South Africa for bass.

[Vanbassin]

SA has got some Huge Bass, there has been big bass caught over the years and there is even bigger ones to be caught. You just have to work hard for them!!